Dare to Dream
by ELi Shikiyori
Summary: It's a nightmare you can never wake up from... And when you do return to reality, relief is only short lived. For sleep will call to you once more. And there will be no escaping from its dark clutches...
1. Dare to Dream

**Blackimi: **I know that i should be updating 'Madness In Wonderland...' but that story is on hold for now since I'm trying to write up a whole bunch of chapters. And I am also writing a new one-shot.

**Reem:** She only has this free time since it's the christmas holiday...

**Blackimi:** Yeah, and the only reason why Reem is here is because, well...

**Reem: **(sighs) This idiot set off an atomic bomb on the set of M.I.W. which basically killed everybody (even Kyle) while she ran off into hiding.

**Blackimi: **THEY FORGOT MY BIRTHDAY!

**Reem: **Speaking of birthdays, aren't you forgetting something?

**Blackimi:** Um... no, why?

**Reem: **Seriously? Blue hair? Blue eyes? Violin? Cat?

**Blackimi: **... um... Yoru?

**Reem: **DOES YORU HAVE FUCKING BLUE EYES? DOES HE PLAY THE FUCKING VIOLIN?

**Blackimi: **Stop yelling at me! (runs away)

**Reem: **That girl is such a brat... A STUPID brat!

**Blackimi: **(calls out) I am not!

**Reem: **(shouts back) YES YOU ARE!

**Reem: **Anyways**, ELi would like to thanks everyone who STILL reads, reviews and favorites her and her story. She promises you that she'll try to update it as soon as she can. If she doesn't, she has another one-shot to post.**

**Blackimi:** _I DO NOT OWN SHUGO CHARA BECAUSE IF I DID, EVERYONE WOULD BE DEAD!_

* * *

**Dare to Dream...**

_black_kimono_otaku_

* * *

_The car was coming fast. Too fast._

_Before I knew it, it was right by my side. And in a blink of an eye, a thousand pounds of pure metal had rammed into my body and sent me spiraling into the air. The world spun around and my body felt numb._

_With a sickening crack, my head met the pavement. It was only then did pain finally come…_

* * *

I woke up with a jolt. My chest heaved and sweat rolled down my forehead, soaking my pillow. Faint rays of morning light peeped through my window. The light seemed to bring me to the surface of reality. It made my nightmare fade away into a barely remembered memory.

I sat up on my bed and raked my hand through my pink layered hair. It was slick with sweat and I frowned as I saw a bead trickle down my arm. I was covered in the salty liquid. It was disgusting. With a sigh, I swung my legs over the bed and got up to take a much needed shower.

The smell of pancake batter greeted me as I emerged from the bathroom, buttoning up my jeans as I walked out. Mama was wearing her favorite Hello Kitty apron as she flipped a pancake over. Papa was scolding Ami for putting too much syrup on her pancakes.

"If you eat too much sweet things, you will get diabetes! And I am not paying for the medical bill!" Papa declared.

Ami glared at him. "Fine! And if I die, it'll be on your conscience! Let's see if you can live with that!" she turned her head away haughtily. I rolled my eyes at the display.

"Good morning."

Mama glanced at me briefly. "Good morning, sweetie." Typical Mama, even though I had turned eighteen last month, she still calls me by endearments. I gave her a small smile as I made my way to the table. Breakfast was already prepared for me and I wasted no time digging in. As I began to pour the syrup onto my pancakes, Ami frowned and muttered something inaudible under her breath. I think it had something to do with the syrup…

Mama joined us in a few moments and the regular morning routine began to proceed. The daily interrogation started as soon as Papa finished one pancake.

"What are you doing today?

"Dunno…"

"Are you going out?"

"Yeah."

"With whom?"

"Rima."

"For how long?"

"Dunno."

"… Be back before dinner."

"Sure."

In the midst of the one word answers, I had already finished breakfast and was now excusing myself from the table. I went to my room and lay around, listening to my music. The sharp piercing message alert of my phone made me flinch. I flipped the device open and read the message I had received from Rima.

**Meet u 12 l8r?**

I quickly replied back.

**K :) C u da mall**

A brief glance at the clock told me that I had two hours until I had to meet her. In the mean time, what to do? I never liked to stay to home too long. Sooner or later, Ami would be watching _The Rainbow Pony_ downstairs with the volume turned up as high as it could possibly go.

I did not want to stick around for that…

Finally, I made up my mind and decided to head out earlier. I could go to a café or something. I replaced my plain black shirt that had _NO TO STEREOTYPES_ written in bold neon green letters at the front. After making sure that I had my phone in one pocket and my iPod in the other, I slipped on my shoes and went down the stairs.

"I'm going out. I've got my cell." I called out. I didn't want my parents to start going berserk once they discovered I wasn't home. They would probably call the police and I didn't need that drama.

I waited for a moment until I heard a faint _Ok_ which most likely came from Mama. I nodded my head and walked out the front door…

* * *

The afternoon sun beat down on Rima and I as we sat outside the yogurt shop. We had finished our frozen yogurts long ago and we were dying under the heat. Yet, we were too lazy to get off our butts and buy another yogurt.

Rima wiped away sweat from her brow. "Damn, is it just me or are the days getting hotter?" I sighed and leaned my head back, "It's summer, Rima. Of course it's getting hot!" "But I don't see why we have to be outside!" she whined.

"If you can't stand it, go inside."

"But it's too hot to move!"

"Then stop complaining."

Rima rolled her golden brown eyes. "We should have stayed at the mall. At least it's air-conditioned! But _no_, you just had to drag me out here to eat freaking yogurt under the boiling hot Sun! Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with you, Amu."

It was true. We should have stayed at the mall. I just thought a stroll would be nice. I hadn't expected the weather to be this extreme. It was 2:30 PM and I could cook as much eggs as I wanted on the damn pavement! The yogurt was a relief but alas, it was only temporary. Now, Rima and I were getting skin cancer from sitting outside the shop.

"Amu, look, I hot and sweaty and sticky. I stink. I really need a shower right now. Do you mind if I head home?" Rima finally asked after another twelve minutes. I sighed once more yet I knew that I was in desperate need of one too. "Yeah, sure. I guess I gotta take one too. I sweat more than you do." I grinned.

Rima barked out a laugh as we slowly got up from our seats. The Sun hung high above our heads as we bid each other farewell and headed off in different directions. I took my own sweet time getting home. The shop wasn't too far away, about three blocks or so.

I waited by the stop line between Brangham and Torisole Road. Hardly anyone was out and those who were seemed to be in a rush, probably desperate to get away from this weather and into any air-conditioned building. I wanted to do the exact same thing…

Finally, the green walking man appeared and I slowly crossed the road. Then out of nowhere, the squealing of car tires broke through the thick summer air.

Everything seemed to have frozen in time. Even I felt like I was suddenly paused. Then at the corner of my eye, I saw it. It was a sleek gun gray car. The sunlight glinted off the windshield and blinded me for a few seconds. Everything seemed to go in motion again yet this time, we were all in slow motion.

I could feel myself leaned forward as I slowly lowered my foot to take another step. I wasn't even halfway across the road and yet the car, unaffected by the bizarre time flow, continued on. It was coming closer.

My eyes widened.

The car was coming fast. Too fast.

Before I knew it, it was right by my side. And in a blink of an eye, a thousand pounds of pure metal had rammed into my body and sent me spiraling into the air. The world spun around and my body felt numb.

With a sickening crack, my head met the pavement. It was only then did pain finally come. It exploded from the base of my neck and shot through my entire body, like a jolt of electricity. Spots, blood red spots, burst before my eyes. A high pitched ringing echoed in my ears and pounded in my brain along with the excruciating pain.

Darkness was chewing on the corners of my vision and I felt myself falling. Falling down. Down, down, down, down a black bottomless pit…

* * *

I shot up in bed, screaming all the way. My heart pounded in my chest and my body was slicked with sweat. Every part of me ached and with every move I made and every breath I took, pain shot to my brain.

I clutched my head and moaned, curling up into a tight ball in the futile attempt to stop my body from shaking.

It's been so long ever since that horrible day. And every night ever since the accident, I'd been plagued by nightmares. Terrifying relapses of the hit and run occurred every single night, each one more even more vivid and painful than before.

My thoughts were interrupted when the door to my room opened and Ikuto poked his head in. Ikuto was my new best friend. Ever since the accident, Rima was never the same and I didn't know who she was anymore. Then Ikuto came along and he replaced her. He was always there to comfort me. Every night, he would sit by my side, take me in his arms and tell me that it was a thing of the past. But we both knew that it wasn't.

"Hey," Ikuto started, "I heard. This one sounded really bad." I nodded, "It was. It was all so vivid! I felt everything! The pain, the numbness, the heat… I literally re-lived that day."

Ikuto sighed and entered my room, taking his usual seat beside me. His arm wrapped around my shoulder as he pulled me closer to him. "Don't worry. You're safe now. It's a thing of the past. A nightmare. Nothing."

I shook my head. "No," I protested, "You know that it's more than a nightmare! God, how I wish that it could just be a nightmare! But it isn't! It's a memory, Ikuto! It was real! It happened! Something like that could never be nothing!"

Ikuto looked at me sadly, pain in his midnight blue eyes. But there was no denying the fact that what I said was true. For the both of us. He just wished I wouldn't acknowledge it.

"I know, Amu. I wish that too…" he leaned forward and pressed his soft yet cold lips to my forehead. Then, he got up and turned away to leave. The gaping hole at the back of his head was bleeding profusely, the blood trickling down his neck. His brain could be seen yet a chunk of it was missing. Some bits of it clung to his dark blue hair.

He told me he had jumped of a cliff. Head first. Suicide. Couldn't handle the pressure he was receiving from his step-father. He too re-lived that moment every time he fell asleep. We all did. When we died, we were damned here, in this Hell on Earth. The dark side of Purgatory.

I closed my eyes and lay back down in bed. I knew that if I fell asleep, that horrible time would play in my mind and everything would repeat itself. But it's useless trying to stay awake. No one ever can stay awake for more than an hour. It was like a curse. We are forced to re-live and re-experience each and every second.

And it's killing me…

* * *

**Blackimi:** Oooh! That was intense!

**Reem: **I have to admit, it was pretty good...

**Blackimi:** I know, right? OMG, do you think i should make a SEQUEL?

**Reem: **Here you go, starting another story when you haven't even finished the first one...

**Blackimi:** Whatever, i'm leaving that for the readers to decide. I'll put a poll on my profile asking if I should continue this or not... For now, it shall be complete!

**Reem: **You suck, you know that?

**Blackimi: **Hehehe, I know right? ;)

**Reem: **Ugh, you're such a pervert...

**Blackimi:** SO IS YOUR MOM!

**Reem: **WHAT DID YOU SAY?

**Blackimi:** Um... I, uh... **_R & R!_**(runs away)

**Reem: **GET BACK HERE YOU STUPID PYROMANIAC! (wields the pen/scythe)


	2. Free Falling

**ELi:** Hey guys!

**Reem:** She's back~!

**ELi:** Damn right I am! Anyways, I was re-reading this story and I suddenly felt compelled to write another chapter! So... TA-DA~!

**Reem:** Fucking retard had too much coffee so she is hyper.

**ELi:** Hell yeah! Well, a lot has happened since I last posted. I just went through a Lord of the Rings phase where i watched all the movies, one after the other, and swooned over the elves ;)

**ELi:** I am currently going through a Twilight phase. I read all the books (and any any extra's i had: movie guide, directors notebook, etc) again but i don't give a SHIT about Edward or Jacob (no offense to those who do) But I'm for Team Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and Team Volturi (all the males in the Volturi)!

**Reem:** Basically, she's obsessed with the other hot guys who were blatantly ignored because of all the drama circling around above mentioned vampire and werewolf...

**ELi**: Yup! Either way, let's get on with this story! The caffeine hasn't worn out yet!

**Disclaimer: _ELi Shikiyori does not own any of the characters in Shugo Chara. Neither does she own a brain but that's a different matter. She doesn't own Lord of the Rings and Twilight either but she wouldn't mind :)_**

**ELi: **HELL YEAH I WOULDN'T! XD

**Reem:** Roll the title, quick! (waves arms around)

* * *

**Free Falling…**

_ELi Shikiyori_

* * *

_The rocks were coming closer and closer still._

_I could feel the sea spray on my face, the wind rush past my ears. I saw my reflection on the crystal blue water of the ocean and for a moment, time slowed down…_

_Immediately, the sound of the wind stopped. All I could hear was the steady beating of my heart. I watched as my face drew nearer and nearer to the water, my reflection becoming clearer with every second._

_When I was close enough to see my eyes, I saw the relief. There would be no more pain. No more suffering. I was free._

_With that thought, I closed my eyes and felt my body crash against the freezing cold water…_

* * *

My eyes snapped open.

I was clutching the bed sheets while sweating up a storm. My head was killing me and my eyes stung painfully. I closed them slowly and took in a shaky breath.

Memories, though unbidden, came to mind. I hit the water head first. That knocked me unconscious. The current carried my limp body to the rocks where I smashed my head against one of them. I bled to death, the ocean water around me turning crimson.

With a sign, I forced myself into a sitting position. The pain in my head dulled down to a slight throb. My eyes still stung with salt water. I rubbed them in the furious attempt to get rid of the pain. Finally, it subsided and I could actually see.

I got out of bed and made my way out of my room and down the hall. The entire floor was quiet. I stopped by Amu's door and knocked. There was no answer. I opened it to see the bed empty.

"She's downstairs in the kitchen with the others."

I jumped slightly and turned around to face the owner of the voice.

Hikaru looked up at me, his icy blue eyes showing his boredom. He was 11 years younger than me, being the youngest resident on the floor. He was leaning against the wall opposite of Amu's room in a casual fashion.

"You know, your feelings for her are pretty obvious. But do you think she'll ever see you as anything more than her best friend?" he suddenly asked.

I chuckled sheepishly. "I hope so. But for now, I'm content with being her friend."

Hikaru rolled his eyes and sighed, pushing himself off of the wall and walking towards the elevator. I followed him silently. He pushed the 'Down' button and we waited for the doors to open.

"What time did you wake up?" I checked my watch. He shrugged, "Ten minutes ago. Give or take three minutes."

I nodded slowly as the elevator doors opened and we stepped in. Screechy music played from unseen speakers and I frowned slightly. Hikaru kept up his impassive face and pressed the button for the first floor.

The doors closed and the elevator gave an uneasy jolt before slowly lowering itself to the first level. I checked my watch again. I've been awake for six minutes now. I had 54 more minutes of consciousness left.

The elevator made an ear splitting ding as we reached the first floor. The doors wobbled open and we stepped out, the elevator closing and rising behind us. Before me was the lounge and to the left side of the room was the open kitchen.

Hikaru immediately headed towards one of the many black leather couches and dropped down onto it comfortably. A few of the other seats were occupied by other residents.

I turned towards the kitchen and spotted Amu leaning against the island, her body turned towards the window and a cup of coffee held between her hands. I made my way towards her, sneaking up from behind. As I slipped my arms around her waist, Amu jumped slightly. But once she realized it was me, she immediately relaxed against my chest.

"It's raining outside. Again." She whispered softly. I looked out the window and into the dark grey, cloud covered skies. Rain pelted harshly against the window and lightning flashed briefly, followed by a low rumble of thunder.

I shrugged, "It's always been raining." "Is that why we can never go outside? Since it rains so hard?" Amu asked.

I shrugged again. "I guess. We can't even see outside the windows for any signs of life other than us."

A giggle escaped her lips at my choice of words. "Life…" she murmured, "I miss it." She sets her half-empty cup of coffee down on the marble counter top and finally turns around to face me.

Blood runs down the left side of her face, giving her some sort of crimson half mask. Her pink hair is clotted with it. I knew that beneath those silky locks lay her fatal wound from the unfortunate car accident. Amu's shirt is damp with her blood and I knew that my arms and shirt would be stained too.

But her eyes—her innocent honey gold eyes—was still burning with the remnants of her life. I wished that it would never fade away. I wished that she wouldn't have to dream of her death over and over again. The more she would dream, the more the fire in her eyes would flicker. It would only be a matter of time before it would be snuffed out completely.

With a pained sigh, she laid her head on my chest and embraced me tightly. I hugged her back, burying my face in the crook of her neck.

"I'm scared, Ikuto." She whispered against my shirt. I stroked her back gently, lovingly. My eyes glared out at the stormy skies outside. "I know, Amu. None of us enjoy dreaming at all."

Her nails dug into my back. I pulled her closer to me. "How long have you been awake?" I whispered against her bloodstained porcelain skin.

"For more than half an hour." There was a trace of panic in her voice. "I don't want to go to sleep. But I can feel it coming on to me." Amu pulled away slightly to look me in the eye. "I don't want to dream again! I don't want to feel the pain anymore!"

Lightning flashed suddenly, making her jump and scream. I pulled her into my embrace again as she spoke. "My time's up. I can't fight it anymore…" her voice trailed off and she suddenly went limp in my arms. I let out soft sigh as I lifted her body up into my arms and carried her towards the couches.

Hikaru looked up from a business magazine and into my eyes as I came over. He frowned at the sight of an unconscious Amu in my arms, his lips pressing into a thin line. Despite his nonchalant façade around most of us, he looked up to Amu like an older sister. Maybe it was because she arrived here just a couple of days before he did and some sort of bond formed between them.

The newbies. They stuck together, sharing similar emotions such a loss, grief and confusion. I felt a pang of jealousy stab through me. When I arrived here, there was no one I could talk to. Everyone else had been here for sometime and had learned how to bury such depressing feelings long ago. It was hard to have to learn on my own but I managed…

Barely…

I gently lay Amu down on the couch across Hikaru. He gave a soft grunt of approval before returning his attention to the business magazine. I sat down on the floor next to Amu, my back against the glass coffee table. I checked my watch again, "39 minutes left."

There was silence for a moment before I heard a soft thump come from behind me. I twisted my head around to find Hikaru slumped on the couch, his head hanging off of the arm. The magazine lay on the floor where he dropped it, his arm dangling a few inches above it. Hikaru's face was contorted to one of mild discomfort.

In the weak attempt to ease his discomfort, I got up and fixed his position on the couch. I lay his head flat on the seat, arm across his chest. Despite our somewhat distant relationship, I still cared for the kid. It was bad enough for him to be here.

Movement from the couch across caught my attention. I was by Amu's side in seconds. Small beads of sweat had begun to form on her arms and forehead, mixing with the blood. I stroked her hair gently as she whimpered, her hand holding mine in a death grip.

It hurt to see her this way. But what hurt the most was that I could do nothing about it. How pathetic…

Minutes passed, how many exactly, I don't know. Yet my eyes grew heavier and heavier. I knew what that meant. I didn't try to fight it. The more you resisted, the longer you'd be under.

When my eyes drifted close for the first time, I didn't try to open them anymore. For I knew that the next time I would, I'd be staring at the ceiling of my old room. On the day I committed suicide…

* * *

**ELi:** DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!

**Reem: **Intense shit right there.

**ELi: **Damn right! Anywho, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Tell me if you want more and I will do my best! Until i get any requests to continue this, this story shall be complete!

**Reem:** Oh well, that's-

**ELi: **OH YEAH! I forgot to mention it but i just recently transferred schools! This is the third time i've transferred and the nervousness is not wearing off!

**Reem:** But aren't you already two weeks into school?

**ELi: **Yeah but the school started THREE weeks ago! So i've missed a whole week! I was scared shitless! I really didn't like coming into school when everyone had already settled down and made groups.

**Reem:** But you made friends, right?

**ELi:** ... Sure

**Reem:** Fucking loner! Get out of your EMO hole and socialize!

**ELi:** I WILL WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT!

**Reem: _R & R!_**

**ELi: **does that mean read and review?

**Reem: **No that means RUN RETARD! (wield pen/scythe)

**ELi:** AHHHHHHHHH! (runs away) Back to the good old days, eh? ;)


End file.
